Village Honors Fred Schaefer for 50 Years of Service

The Village of Grayslake showed its appreciation Tuesday for a resident whose 50 years of service on the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals has helped to preserve the community’s character and small town feel for generations to come.

Fred Schaefer, 92, began his service on the two commissions in Jan. 1962. Many of those years he served as chairman.

“I wanted to thank everyone for getting me up here,” said Schaefer during a presentation at the Jan. 17 village board meeting.

“I’m glad the village board permitted me to work up here 50 years," he said. "I never thought I’d do that. It’s unbelievable.”

Schaefer, whose history and memory is long, entertained the audience with snippets of stories about commissioners long past, including one that “would show up drunk” and another who only wanted to know “when do we get paid?”

He remembered a heated incident with one former commissioner who never had a report to submit at meetings, so Schaefer removed him from his appointed committee.

While washing his car one afternoon, Schaefer said a pick-up truck roared up alongside him. It was the commissioner, hopping mad at Schaefer’s decision.

“He said, ‘I want to knock the hell out of you,’” said Schaefer.

War stories aside, Schaefer was lauded for helping to shape the village while maintaining the quaintness residents love about living here.

“People are attracted to Grayslake for its small town feel,” said Mayor Rhett Taylor. “One of the reasons is because of very careful planning, and that didn’t happen overnight.”

Dedicated commissioners like Schaefer, he said, can be thanked for making the village what it is today.

During his 50 years of service, Schaefer worked with 78 fellow commissioners.

He participated in the adoption of three comprehensive plans, the adoption of the subdivision control ordinance, the adoption of the developer donation ordinance and the adoption of the sign ordinance.

Schaefer also helped make revisions to the village zoning ordinance; developed flood control standards; rezoned 204 properties; approved 161 variances to the zoning ordinance; approved 59 subdivisions and 31 special use permits.

During his trustee report, Jeff Werfel called Schaefer “an inspiration to us all.” His fellow trustees agreed.

Schaefer was given a clock in appreciation of his service. He joked that he’d had a dream about the presentation. He said he dreamed he couldn’t get in the door to visit Village Administrator Mike Ellis because it was stuffed with gifts for him, which also resulted in the village not being able to balance the budget!

Schaefer, who attended his final planning and zoning board meeting last week, told Patch he would miss no longer serving but that he expected to keep up with all village goings on.

In related news, the village board accepted the appointment of resident Richard Ross, an attorney, to the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. The appointment fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Plan Commission Chairman Phil Mullenix.

Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Karl Molek was appointed the new chairman of the Plan Commission.

Country Squire

In other news, the village board approved decreasing the number of Class A-1 liquor licenses from four to three following the closure of the Country Squire restaurant and banquet facility last week.

The property was just purchased by Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, whose own sprawling property adjoins Country Squire.

Taylor said the hospital has no immediate plans for the building or property, but that he would be meeting with hospital officials in the near future to discuss potential development.

The Country Squire restaurant first opened in 1954. It was the former 17-room mansion of Wesley Sears, who built it in 1938. Over the years, the Country Squire has welcomed actors Marlon Brando, Barbara Eden and Gary Coleman along with former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka and celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright.